The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding cable into a pipe.
It is often desirable to feed elongated flexible cables into sewer pipes. These cables may be video cables, hoses used for equipment repairing the pipeline, electric cables for powering repair devices within the pipeline, or other flexible cables.
These cables are usually fed downwardly into a manhole and then horizontally into a sewer pipe which communicates with the bottom of the manhole. Often the ends of the sewer pipe have sharp edges, and many of these cables can be damaged by scraping against the sharp edges of the end of the sewer pipe.
Accordingly rollers have been made available for guiding the cables away from the ends of the sewer pipe when the cables are being fed into the sewer pipe. These devices usually include a shoe which fits within the sewer pipe, and a plurality of rollers that are outside the sewer pipe. The cable is trained around the rollers and then into the sewer pipe.
Existing shoes are typically made of steel or aluminum. The front toe of the shoe is inserted into the sewer pipe. Poles are attached to the top of the shoe and the opposite ends of the poles are hung onto the top of the manhole or the adjacent pavement. The cable is guided around the rollers from a horizontal position within the pipe to a vertical position extending upwardly out of the manhole. Usually several rollers are utilized to maintain a gradual radius during the bend. Furthermore the shoe is designed to protect the cable or hose from contacting the edge of the pipe so as to avoid the sharp edges of the pipe.
During pipeline maintenance or rehabilitation of the pipelines cables and/or hoses are strung through the pipe for many reasons, including cleaning, video inspection, robot tools and insertion of pipelining materials. During these maintenance procedures the cables and hoses are winched with a high tension and it is crucial that the bottom roller shoe does not kick out of the pipe or become dislodged in any way. If the shoe moves sideways or is kicked completely out of the pipe the cables and hoses will be damaged, costing typically thousands of dollars for replacement.
As used herein the term cable includes any type of hose, cable, electric cord, or other elongated flexible member which is fed into a pipe.
Therefore a primary object to the present invention is the provision of an improved method and apparatus for feeding cable into a pipe.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of apparatus which can be affixed tightly within the sewer pipe during use so that it will not become dislodged.
A further object of the present invention is the provision is an approved apparatus for feeding cable into a pipe which has a bladder which can be inflated to tightly secure the apparatus within the end of the sewer pipe.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a method and apparatus for feeding cable into a pipe which includes a detachable member that can be replaced with other detachable members sized to fit within sewer pipes of different dimensions.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for feeding cable into a pipe which permits the cable to be tensioned, but which maintains the cable free from contact with the sharp ends of the sewer pipe.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for feeding cable into a pipe which includes a plurality of rollers that maintain a gradual radius during the bend of the cable from a horizontal position within the pipe to a vertical direction.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus that can be inserted into the sewer pipe and attached to the sewer pipe without the need of a person descending into a manhole.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved method and apparatus for feeding cable into a pipe which is economical to manufacture, durable in use, and efficient in operation.